Sometimes it takes Pain, to have Gain.

Once upon a time a bird was in our garage...

It would not fly out.

I grabbed a broom and tried to navigate the bird in the right direction.  I remember thinking that he probably thought I was trying to kill him.

After all, put yourself in the bird's place. A human is coming after you with a broom, or so it would appear. But in reality, I was only trying to direct it to freedom.

pause.

We're currently facing a situation with our youngest son.  He has had some issues with anxiety.  He's done exceptionally well at navigating through many of the issues that "trigger" anxiety for him, but there's one area left that we are trying to guide him through.

We've tried gentleness.  And counseling.  And prayer.  And understanding.  And now we've gone to tough love.

Last night as we were working through some things I said, "I know it seems like I'm against you right now, but I'm not.  I am FOR you.  You will thank me when we get to the other side and you find freedom."

Trust me in this.

And so it is with God.  He loves us too much to leave us as we are.  He knows that HIS ways are the only ways that will lead us to the abundant life that He has promised us.  Sometimes the road to "freedom", the road to "change" is bumpy. I'm not smart enough to know why that is...I just know it is.

for instance:

it typically takes someone offending us (painful) before we learn how to overcome an offense (freedom)

it takes someone hurting us (painful) before we learn how to forgive (freedom)

it takes facing your fears (painful) before we learn how to trust Him in all things (freedom)

Are you walking through something right now??  What is the pain? and what is the potential freedom?

As you enter the New Year, may you walk with Him.  Closely.

I don't know about you, but through the good, the bad, the adventure, the risk, life's twists and turns, the unexpected, the expected....I want to trust Him in all things.

"My help and glory are in God...granite-strength and safe-harbor-God...So TRUST him absolutely, people; lay your lives on the line for Him.  God is a safe place to be."  Psalm 62:7-8